Door closing device

ABSTRACT

A door closing device is constituted by a hinge, whose plates are perforated. A tube is welded to each plate around the perforations and a coil spring extends through both tubes. One end of the coil spring is fixed to the end of one tube and the other end of the spring is free to slide in the other tube. When the two plates pivot one about the other, the spring forms a curve between the plates and its flexion urges the two plates together.

mte States Patent 1 1 1 1 3,827,105 lBranchaudl Aug. 6, 1974 DOOR CLOSING DEVICE 2,568,225 9/9951 Doman 16/180 1 1 Invent Jean Marie Bra-mud, 3655 5133132; 111322 1JQ1???.'..IIII.......IIIIIIIIIII...IIIIIII..'$ 113 Papineau St., Apt. 403, Montreal, Quebec Canada Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay [221 Filed: Oct. 30, 1972 Assistant Examiner-William E. Lyddane [211 pp No 302 051 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Roland L. Morneau [57] ABSTRACT (g1. A door closing device is constituted y a hinge, whose [58] Fieid 74 150 plates are perforated. A tube is welded to each plate "fa around the perforations and a coil spring extends through both tubes. One end of the coil spring is fixed to the end of one tube and the other end of the spring [56] References Clted N is free to slide in the other tube. When the two plates UNITED STATES FATE TS pivot one about the other, the spring forms a curve be- 270368 garlcl tween the plates and its flexion urges the two plates 1,231,526 6 l aw ey t h 1,358,519 11/1920 Carter 16/72 Oge er 2,31 1,790 2/1943 Tharp 16/72 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTE AUB 61974 sum 1 or z BACKGROUND .OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a door closing device and in particular to such a resiliently flexible device which is installed through the hinge of the door.

Door closing devices are known. The types which constitute a background for the present invention are described in very old US. Pats. such as No. 86,978; 941,907; 1,001,372; and 1,367,414. These devices were using a spring rigidly secured relative to each plate of the hinge. The spring became under tension, that is, stretched when the door was opened'A disadvantage of these known devices resides in the fact that the wire of the coil spring abutted againstthe edge of the openings in each plate of the hinge when the door was opened. This was due to the fact that the spring was stretched and tightened against the edge of these openings. This tightening causes discontinuity in the movement of the door and accelerated wear of the spring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above stated disadvantages.

According to the present invention, the spring is fixed relative to one of the plates of the hinge but is freely sliding through the other plate. Only its resistance to bending is the force which will cause the door to return to its closed position. The spring is not expected to stretch and accordingly a spring blade may be used as well as a coil spring or a bendable rod made of plastic or elastomer adapted to return to its original straight shape.

The spring is preferably mounted through tubes axially fixed to each plate. These tubes may be removably mounted to the plates so as to facilitate the packaging of the device.

One of the tubes is provided with an arrangement so as to longitudinally immobilize one end of the spring.

In order to exert a slight bending force when the I v opened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device according to the invention in which a blade is mounted in a hinge having its plates in contact with each other.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken in a plane through the blade.

FIG. 3- is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 2 wherein the plates are disposed at 90 from each other.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative device wherein a spring is mounted through two tubes fixed to the plates of a hinge.

FIG. 5 is a view as in FIG. 4 wherein the plates are disposed at 90 from each other.

FIG. 6 is a side view of an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 4.

V FIG. 7 is a left-hand end view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a hinge 10 constituted of two plates 12 and, 14 pivotally mounted about an axle 16. The central portion of the plate 12 is perforated by a slot 18 whose axis is parallel with the axle 16. A spring blade 20 passes through the slot 18 and has one end welded to the plate 14, so that the blade, when straight, is substantially perpendicular with the axle 16.

The weld 21 is sufficiently thin so as not to interfere with the closing of the plates 12 and 14 such as shown in FIG. 2. The width of the slot 18 permits a free sliding movement of the blade 20 but is sufficiently narrow to bend the blade by a small angular displacement of the plates relative to each other.

The hinge is normally fixed to the frame of the door and the door with screws (not shown) passing through holes 22. The door or the frame is perforated to receive the blade 20. When the door is opened, the spring 20 slides out of the-slot '18 and curves such as shown in FIG. 3. The blade 20 being a spring blade, it has a strong tendency to straighten up. Accordingly, when the open door is let free, the blade will urge the door to come back to its closed position.

Another embodiment is shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7. A hinge 30 is constituted by two plates 32 and 34 pivoted about an axle 36. Each plate, 32 and 34, is perforated by a circular hole near the center thereof. A short cylindrical tube 38 is welded to the plate 34 and -a longer cylindrical tube 40 is welded to the plate 32.

The two tubes 38 and 40 are eoaxially mounted about the center of the plates 32 and 34.

A coil spring 42 is disposed inside the two tubes having the same diameter and extends through both of them. The outer diameter of the coil spring is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tubes 38 and 40 so as to let it slides easily in the tubes.

The end of the coil spring 42 is fixed to the end of the tube 38. The remaining part of the coil spring remains unattached so that when the two plates angularly move away from each other, the coil spring will be pulled out of the tube such as shown in FIG. 5.

The coil spring 42 is made of a wire whose material and diameter offer "a strong resistance to flexion. Accordingly,,when the plates are separated such as in FIG. 5, the tendency of the spring 42 to straighten up, brings the two plates together.

In order to maintain a slight pressure between the plates 32 and 34 when the latter are adjacent, such as shown in FIG. 6, the tube 39 is angularly fixed to the plate 34 so as to be slightly inclined toward the axle 36. This arrangement keeps the door closed with a slight pressure.

It should be obvious that the tube 38 could be dispensed with, the coil spring being welded directly on the unperforated surface of the plate 34 substantially, in the manner contemplated for the blade 20 in FIGS. 1 to 3.

Similarly, the blade 20 could be mounted as the coil spring shown in FIG. 5, that is, mounted in a tube disposed at an angle relative to the plate of the hinge.

The end of the spring 42 may be rigidly secured to the tube 38. However, according to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the coil spring 42 is removably fixed at the end of the tube 38. Two diametrically opposed tongues 44 and 46 are bent inside the tubes. The two tongues are slightly axially displaced from one another, so that by twisting the coil spring, the last wound of the spring will hook around the two tongues.

It is also contemplated that the tubes 38 and 40 may be removably mounted on the plates to facilitate the shipping of the device.

The tubes can be threadedly engaged on the plates or the latter provided with shoulders and the tubes retained thereon by lugs 50 (FIG. 5) pressed out of tube.

It is also contemplated to cover the coil spring 42 with a flexible sleeve, made ofa material such as nylon, so to prevent the dust to gather between the wound of the coil. This sleeve has essentially an esthetic appearance.

A greatly improved operation is obtained when the adjacent wounds of coil spring 42 are in contact with each other when not flexed. it permits a continuous quarter of a circle on the inside radius of the spring 42 as shown in FIG. 5. Furthermore, the close winding of the coil spring 42 facilitates the smooth passage of the latter through the hole in the plate 32.

What I claim is:

l. A door closing device adapted to be mounted between a door and a door frame comprising,

a hinge having two hinge plates pivotedly interconnected about one edge thereof, each plate being provided with a hole therethrough, said holes being in substantial alignment at the point where said plates are in their closed position wherein said plates lie in facing parallel relationship with respect to one another,

a tubular member fixed to each plate around the edge of said hole, the said members being oppositely disposed from each other when the two plates of the hinge are facing each other, at least one of said tubular members being angularly affixed to one of said plates at a slight incline toward said one edge,

a coil spring adapted to work by flexion, disposed within and extending through both tubular members,

two inwardly directed tongues provided on the periphery of the end of one tubular member opposite the end affixed to its corresponding hinge plate for engaging at least the last wound at one end of the coil spring, the said tongues being axially displaced from one another so as to normally fit between two adjacent wounds of the spring and whereby said coil spring cooperates with said one inclined tubular member to continuously bias the plates towards their closed position.

2. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the two tongues are integral portions of the said one tubular member, the said tongues being bent inwardly and in a diametrically opposed direction. 

1. A door closing device adapted to be mounted between a door and a door frame comprising, a hinge having two hinge plates pivotedly interconnected about one edge thereof, each plate being provided with a hole therethrough, said holes being in substantial alignment at the point where said plates are in their closed position wherein said plates lie in facing parallel relationship with respect to one another, a tubular member fixed to each plate around the edge of said hole, the said members being oppositely disposed from each other when the two plates of the hinge are facing each other, at least one of said tubular members being angularly affixed to one of said plates at a slight incline toward said one edge, a coil spring adapted to work by flexion, disposed within and extending through both tubular members, two inwardly directed tongues provided on the periphery of the end of one tubular member opposite the end affixed to its corresponding hinge plate for engaging at least the last wound at one end of the coil spring, the said tongues being axially displaced from one another so as to normally fit between two adjacent wounds of the spring and whereby said coil spring cooperates with said one inclined tubular member to continuously bias the plates towards their closed position.
 2. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the two tongues are integral portions of the said one tubular member, the said tongues being bent inwardly and in a diametrically opposed direction. 